Language blancs and mixups...

[Korisios]

Being not English or Native English speaking, I frequently encounter the problem of not knowing a word in my own language (Dutch) while I do use the english word for years all the time, using all kinds of English based forums such as this one, my brain starts making cris cross connections between visual data and all kinds of tongues... For example the word "cup hilt" The Dutch translation google gifs, does not work if I use it as a search word again in google... Such specialised words would be hard to find in my own Printed dictionary. To make things wurse I do look for things considering Spanish speaking parts of the world. Knowing some Spanish I do get familiar with some Spanish words also what makes me wander about their English and Dutch equivalents to...

And this is only about my interrest in the 17th 18th century. If do my researche about the Iron age period on the continent (my other pasttime) I find my self buying and reading (or at least trying to) Frensh, German and Italian books to.... Oh and can anyone translate for me my Russian book I bought in Moscow... I know theres a whole lot of interresting stuff in there I would love to know more about....

I quess I have to start moving away from the computer and start speaking to Dutch people with knowledge of the subjects at hand....

[Dutchman]

korisios, the english language is a bit tough. proper pronunciation can be even worse, then there are all the regional slangs. on the other side of the coin, i'd love to learn words for some of the common items we always use for reenacting. how about the dutch translation for games such as dominos, checkers (or draughts), playing cards?

[Korisios]

Dominos = Domino

Checkers = Ruiten (the red square on his point)

So we have:

Ruiten = Checkers (red)

Harten = hearts (red)

Klaver = the 3 lobed leaf kind of thing... (black)

Schoppen = the upside down (black) heart with the little extra bit...

And then form high to low:

Aas

Koning or Heer

Koningin or Dame or Vrouw

Boer

Tien = 10

Negen = 9

Acht = 8

Zeven = 7

Zes = 6

Vijf = 5

Vier = 4

Drie = 3

Twee = 2

Hope we solved a little of the language puzzle here...

[Tartan Jack]

Interesting . . .

Looks like cards.

Suites:

Ruiten (diamonds, red) What does the Dutch name mean?

Harten (hearts, red) Looks like same term, different languages.

Klaver (clubs, black) I assume the Dutch means "clover," which is exactly what it looks like- (Why Clubs?)

Schoppen (spades, black) A spade is a term for a small, hand-sized shovel.

And then form high to low:

Aas (Ace)

Koning or Heer (King)

Koningin or Dame or Vrouw (Queen)

Boer (Jack)

Tien = 10

Negen = 9

Acht = 8

Zeven = 7

Zes = 6

Vijf = 5

Vier = 4

Drie = 3

Twee = 2

I looks like the English and Dutch terms for those are basically the same (Koning means king, koningin means queen, and boer means farmer and Jack was often used likewise in English)

Now, what English terms are you wondering about?

[Tartan Jack]

Checkers is game played on a chess board, but using red and black round, short cylinders.

Does checkers also mean something else to the Dutch?

[Korisios]

The English and Dutch language are prety much related to each other.

I belief English effolved from a language named Old Dutch... But unfortunatly I am no expert on this...

I miss interpretate (while using Google translations) the word checkers thinking it ment one of the 4 playing card symbols...

But now I recall te bordgame indeed...

This game we call in Dutch: Dammen....

One Dam is two of these cilinders on top of each other...

[Korisios]

Now, what English terms are you wondering about?

Well:

Cup Hilt?

Match lock?

Dog lock?

Frock coat?

[Capt Thighbiter]

English is one of the hardest languages to learn and one that borrows from almost every European language. There are Dutch, German , French and all of the Latin based ones. Even some Scandanavian and celtic ones too! All rolled together and cooked for 500 years on a relatively isolated island.

Studying the entomolgy of English is like studying European history. Every culture that invaded England left its language mark.

[Cascabel]

Now, what English terms are you wondering about?

Well:

Cup Hilt?

Match lock?

Dog lock?

Frock coat?

Any of us will be glad to help you out in understanding English words. To start with, try entering the words you don't understand in Google Images http://www.google.com/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi You will get pictures of what you are looking for.

>>>> Cascabel

[Korisios]

Now, what English terms are you wondering about?

Well:

Cup Hilt?

Match lock?

Dog lock?

Frock coat?

Any of us will be glad to help you out in understanding English words. To start with, try entering the words you don't understand in Google Images http://www.google.co...hp?hl=en&tab=wi You will get pictures of what you are looking for.

>>>> Cascabel

Well I do know the meaning, I only can't find the Dutch word for it...

[Tartan Jack]

I'll take a "stab" at explaining the origins of these:

Cup Hilt?

The handle/hilt of a rapier, which has a large rounded half-circle above the handle. It looks like a bowl or cup. So, it became known as a "cup hilt."

Match lock?

A matchlock is gun-lock (firing mechanism) that is designed to hold a lit piece of match cord. It was largely replaced w/ a "flintlock" that uses a piece of flint striking a bent plate that also serves as the cover for the pan.

For a decent explanation (found by Google looking for the below images): http://www.silcom.com/~vikman/isles/scriptorium/firearm/match.html

A matchlock:

Flintlock:

Dog lock?

An early flintlock, wherein the safety catch mechanism (to keep the flint part pulled back when cocked) looks like a dog's head. Basically, an early flintlock.

This page seems to have decent comparative pictures of different lock-types:

http://pirates.missiledine.com/guns.html